Collapsible filing container



NOV. 8, E. W S COLLAPSIBLE FILING CONTAINER Filed March 27, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J /N VENTOR JOHN E. FELLOWES cfww A TTOR/VEY United States Patent COLLAPSIBLE FILING CONTAINER John E. Fellowes, Wheaton, Ill., assignor to Bankers Box Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of IlllllOlS Application March 27, 1953, Serial No. 345,093

7 Claims. (Cl. 229-30) This invention relates to containers such as filing boxes and particularly to such containers which are sold in collapsed or knock-down condition.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a drawer which is made of corrugated-board or the like, with reinforcing elements and a drawer pull incorporated therein in such manner that the stress created by the drawer pull is taken by the reinforcing elements.

A more specific object of this invention is the provision of a reinforcing frame for a container made of corrugatedboard or the like, said frame being substantially covered and concealed by the corrugated-board.

Another object of this invention is to provide a drawer having a front panel comprised of a central reinforcing sheet covered with a single sheet of corrugated-board folded over the edges of the sheet, the joints formed by the abutting ends of the folded-over corrugated-board being held firmly together by a singlepiece drawer pull which overlies said joints.

Another object is to provide a drawer which may be sold in knock-down condition, i. e., as a fiat sheet cut out and creased so that by manipulation of the sheet a drawer is formed, said drawer including a reinforcing frame and a drawer pull which may be readily assembled with the sheet to form a neat strong drawer.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken together with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is a perspective drawing of a completely assembled drawer made in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the parts which go to make up the drawer of Fig. I, said parts'being in collapsed and disassembled form;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view in elevation of the drawer of Fig. 1, taken along line 3-3 thereof and looking toward the front end of the drawer;

Fig. 4 is a rear view in elevation of the drawer of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional side view in elevation of the drawer of Fig. 1 taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the drawer pull and fastener therefor taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 3; and

pull 15, preferably made as a single piece die casting, said pull 15 having a window 16 to receive a card 17 bearing information pertinent to the contents of the drawer, and a handle 18 by which the drawer may be pulled or pushed relative to a cabinet, or carried from place to place. Said handle 18 includes a recess 19 to receive the fingertips of the operator. The details of the drawer pull 15 will be described more fully hereinafter.

The parts from which the drawer of Fig. 1 is made are shown in Fig. 2. They comprise a 'sheet 20 of relatively flexible fibrous material such as corrugated-board or the like, a pair of rods 21 and 22, a rectangular sheet 23 of rigid material such as a fiber and resin composition, plywood or metal, a 'second rectangular sheet 24 of similar material, the drawer pull 15, and fastening means for the drawer pull. Sheet 20 is cut, notched and slotted so thatwhen it is folded along predetermined lines it forms a drawer such as is shown in Fig. 1. Thus bottom 14 is a rectangular section centrally located on the sheet 20 and bounded by creases shown in dot-dash ,lines 25, 26, 27 and 28. Front panel 10 is an adjoining rectangle bounded by creases 25, 29, 30,31 and rear panel 11 is a similarly adjoining rectangle bounded by Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the fastening means for securing an end panel to a side panel of a drawer of this invention, the section being taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

. Referring now to the drawings for a detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown therein, and particularly to Fig. l, the drawer in its assembled form is comprised of a'front-panel 10, a rear panel 11, side panels 12 and 13 and a bottom 14. Front and rear panels ltl-and 11 are substantially of the same size and side panels 13 and 14 are likewise of substantially the same size, but are smaller in a vertical direction as viewed in Fig. 1 than the front and rear panels 10 and 11. Secured to the front panel 10 is a drawer creases 27, 32, 33 and 34. Side panel'12 adjoins a third side of bottom 14 and is bounded by crease 26, edges 35, 36 and crease 37, and side panel 13 adjoins the fourth side and is bounded by crease 28, edges 38, 39 and crease 40.

Panel 10 has flaps 41, 42 and 43 extending from creases 31, 30 and 29 respectively and panel 11 has flaps 44, 45

. and 46 extending from creases 32, 33 and 34 respectively.

It is contemplated that reinforcing sheet 23 is to be superimposed on panel 10 and that flaps 41, 42 and 43 will be folded over said sheet 23. When so folded, edges 47 and 48 will abut one another, edges 49 and 50 will likewise abut one another as will also edges 51 and 52. Similarly, it is contemplated that sheet 24 will be superimposed on panel 11, but on the underside thereof as viewed in Fig. 2, and that fiaps 44, 45 and 46 will be folded over said sheet such that edges 53 and 54 will abut one'another as will edges 55, 56; 57, 58; and the diagonal edges 59, 60 and 61, 62.

Panel 10 is formed with an opening 63 which is aligned with an opening 64 in sheet 23 and with an opening formed by notches 65, ,66 in flaps 43 and 41 respectively and by edge 67 on flap 42. Said openings are provided to receive drawer pull 15 as will be made more clear in connection with the description of Fig. 5. An opening 68 is formed in panel 11 in alignment with an opening 69 in sheet 24 and continued in flaps 44 and 46 at 70 and 71, said opening serving as a hand hold by which the rear part of the drawer may be grasped when the drawer is carried from place to place. To provide a wider surface to be grasped, an extension 72 on flap 45 is folded into opening 68 as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 5. i

A flap- 73 extending from side 12 is folded inward of the drawer around rod 21 and a similar flap 74 extend.- ing from side 13 is folded inward of the drawer around rod 22. The folded flaps are stapled to their respective sides as shown for example at 75, 76. The ends of rods 21 and 22 terminate in loops 77 (Fig. 7) through which screws 78 pass to nuts 79 anchored in sheet 23. An opening 80 is provided in flap 43 so that loop 77 can be brought to bear against the rigid sheet 23 rather than against the relatively softer flap 43 and thus form a more rigid structure. It is understood that each end of rods 21 and 22 is similarly formed and secured to either sheet 23 or 24, the said rods and sheets constituting a rigid frame for the drawer which maintains the shape of the drawer and relieves sheet 20 of the greater part of the stresses created by the manipulation of the drawer in a cabinet or while the drawer is being carried.

and handle 18 to provide ample space for the fingers ofthe operator. Formed preferably integrally with handle 15 are four pins 8-1, 82, 83- and- 84, which are shown more clearly in Fig. 3 and one of which, 83, isshown enlarged in- Fig. 6-. Said pins are locatedapproximately at the four corners of drawer pull- 15 and pass through suitable openingsinpanel 10, sheet 23 and the flaps 41, 42 and 43.

The particular relationship between the flaps 41, 42 and 43- andthe pins 81-, 82, 83 and 84, is clearly shown in- Fig. 3. Pin 81 passes through flap- 43 pins 82 and 83 pass. through flap- 42 and pin 84- passes through flap 41. The angle of edges 47, 48, 49- and 50 is so chosen that pins 82 and 83 both pass throughflap 42. To hold flat the abutting. edges of flaps 42' and 43-on the one hand and flaps 41 and 42 onthe other, relatively stiff strips 85- and 86. of. pressed board or the like are utilized to bridge the said. abutting edges, said strips likewise having suitable openings through which pins 81, S2, 83 and 84 pass. Spring. clips such as. 87 are threaded over eachpinto hold drawer pull 15 and. the intervening panel 10, sheet 23', flap (-42 in Fig. 6) and strip 85 or 86 as the case may be, in firmly compressed relation. Said spring clips 87 are designed. to grip: their respective pins more firmly as the drawer pull. 15 is pulled to the left as viewed in Figs. and 6,, i.. e.,. as the pins tend to be pulled out of their respective openings in the panel 10, sheet 23, etc.

Thus, it is apparent that drawer pull 15 serves not only as; ameans by which the drawer may be: manipulated in a cabinet, or carried. about, but itprovides a rigid unitary backing. to which each of the: flaps 41-, 42, 43 is secured to form an. integrated assembly. It is alsoapparent that drawer pull 15; including pins 81', 82, 83 and 84 may be cast. as a unit, recess 19 and handle 18 being so formed that there are no overhanging edges to interfere with the withdrawal of the casting from a mold.

The drawer described above presents a neatexterior when viewed asin Fig. 1, the folded flaps being concealed in both the front and rear panels and 11. No fasteners, clips, etcare visible onthe front panel 10, and yet the drawer isextremely strong because of the com nection between sheets 23 and 24 effected by rods 21' and 22 whichrelieves sheet 20 of the deforming stresses created when force istexertedon. drawer pull The drawer is sold and shipped in acollapsed or knock-down condition. In this condition, sheet is generally flat, with. front and? rear panels 10' and 11 assembled with their reinforcing sheets 23: and 24-, and with rods 21. and 22 assembled with their respective side panels 12 and 13. Drawer pull 15' is preferably assembled at the factory with. respect to front panel- 10 since its fasteners (pins 81, 82, 83K and 84) are relied upon to hold the flaps 41,. 42 and. 43 down on: the reinforcing sheet 23. All that remains for the customer to dois to fold panels 10, 11, 12. and 13 upon along lines 25, 26, 27 and 28, align loops 77 with nuts 79 and then secure the loops 77 to the nuts with screws 78; The drawer is then ready for use.

It isunderstood' that. the foregoing description is illustrativeof a preferred embodiment of the invention and that thescope of the inventionis not to be limited theretobut is to be determined by the attached claims.

Having thus; described my invention, what I claim as new and desire-to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A. drawer comprising a body of fibrous sheet material: having ends and sides, said ends comprising portions of the body reversely folded with respect to said body,. rigid inserts between the folded material forming the ends, metallic anchors in the inserts having threads therein, rods extending throughout the length of the sides and having looped ends adjacent the anchors, and screws passing through the loops and threaded into the anchors for holding the ends and sides in assembled relation.

2. A drawer comprising a body of fibrous sheet ma terial having ends and sides, said ends comprising portions of the body reversely folded with respect to said body, rigidinserts between the folded material forming the ends, the folds of the material forming. one of the ends resulting in diagonal butt joints, a drawer pull for the said one end, and means. for securing the drawer pull to said one end, said securing means including pins on the drawer pull extending through the folds and rigid insert, and clamp means on the ends of the pins and clamping the fold, insert, material and drawer pull together.

3. A drawer as described in claim 2,. there being three folds inthe material forming the said one end, each of said folds overlying. the back of said drawer pull and being secured thereto- 4. A. drawer comprising a body of fibrous material having ends and sides, said ends comprising portions of the body reversely folded with respect to said body, a rigid insert between the folded material forming. one of the ends, the material being folded around the sides and top of the insert andextending toward a common point, a drawer pull for the said one end and overlying the region of each fold adjacent the common point, and means for securing: the folds, insert and drawer pull together at said region.

5. A drawer comprising. a body of fibrous sheet material having ends and sides, said ends comprising portions ofthe body reversely folded with respect to said body, rigid inserts between the folded material forming the ends, metallic anchors in the inserts having threads therein, rods extending, throughout the length of the sides andkhaving looped ends adjacent the anchors, screws passing, through the loops and threaded into the anchors for holding the ends and sides in assembled relation, the folds of one of said. ends. extending around the sides and top of the insert and then toward a common point, av drawer pull for the said one end and overlyingv the region. of each fold adjacent the common point, and means for. securing the folds, insert and drawer. pull together at said region.

6. A drawer as described in claim 5, said drawer pull comprising a substantially rectangular metal plate, and said last mentioned securing means comprising fasteners disposed in the corners of the plate and passingthIo-ugh the material, insert and folds, at least one of said securing means-passing through each fold.

7. A drawer as described in claim 5, said drawer pull comprising asubstantially rectangular metal plate, and said last-mentioned securing means comprising pins integralwith the plate and passing through the material, insert and folds, straps connecting adjacent pins and crossing the butt joint between adjacent folds and means clamping.v the straps against the folds.

References- Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kaufmann July 1, 1879 Otte May 27, 1919 Kurtzon Jan. 12, 1926 I-Luifman Jan. 17,- 1933 Tinnerman May 9, 1939 Baird- Dec. 30,1941 

